Posted by Robin Summerfield, SCENE Writer | Monday February 25, 2013

Need proof Winnipeggers are bargain hunters? Look no further than IKEA where customers line up before doors open for the express purpose of wielding a fork not an Allen key and dining on $1 breakfasts.

Yet, in a town where finding deals is sport, many Winnipeggers' also have a big appetite for paying a heftier price on memorable meals.

"There is no shortage of people willing to spend money in Winnipeg. I think the whole cheap Winnipeg thing is a myth," says Ben Kramer, executive chef at University of Winnipeg's Diversity Foods.

There is a thriving local culture of informed and enthusiastic eaters who want fresh, organic, locally raised or grown ingredients and are willing to pay more for better tasting food, says Kramer, who runs Elements and was one of the river pop-up chefs.

They're also willing to pay premium prices for a unique dining experience. Case in point: RAW: almond, the gourmet pop-up restaurant on the ice at the Forks, sold out of its $85 tickets not long after they went on sale in late January. Organizers plan to reopen the pop-up next winter too.

From the outside looking in--having dinner in a tent on a frozen river in the heart of a frosty Winnipeg winter--sounds insane. But locals happily snatched up the prized tickets as much for the food as for the one-of-a-kind adventure, which included cold toes and a bracingly chilly walk to the temporary restaurant.

IKEA's 650-seat restaurants packs diners in every day with its $1 breakfasts and meatball dinner deals. (Robin Summerfield)

But who says dining on a $1 breakfast in an upscale cafeteria isn't a unique culinary experience as well? Every day, IKEA's 650-seat restaurant draws crowds, as much for the budget meals as for the browsing and buying in the vast store.

And that is an enticing experience in itself, argues Nadine Chappellaz, a mom of one and the blogger behind savemoneyinwinnipeg.com, a popular website and Facebook group. The store is a great winter escape for cooped up parents and kids who can explore the showrooms and try out the toys at will, she says.

And for families on a budget, IKEA's restaurant is affordable, Chappellaz says. "The whole family can eat for under $20...there's no tax, no tip, no extras."